--- title: Microsoft plans to deprecate Windows Deployment Services description: Microsoft announced it will deprecate Windows Deployment Services (WDS) starting with the next Windows Server release after that version ships. WDS, used to... canonical: https://daily.dev/posts/microsoft-plans-to-deprecate-windows-deployment-services-ztdlumso1 twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:site: @dailydotdev og:type: website og:site_name: daily.dev og:title: Microsoft plans to deprecate Windows Deployment Services | daily.dev og:description: Microsoft announced it will deprecate Windows Deployment Services (WDS) starting with the next Windows Server release after that version ships. WDS, used to... og:url: https://daily.dev/posts/microsoft-plans-to-deprecate-windows-deployment-services-ztdlumso1 og:image: https://api.daily.dev/og/posts/zTdlUmSo1.png og:image:alt: Microsoft plans to deprecate Windows Deployment Services og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 630 og:locale: en --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Microsoft plans to deprecate Windows Deployment Services **[BleepingComputer](https://daily.dev/sources/bleepingcomputer)** · 2 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments ## Summary Microsoft announced it will deprecate Windows Deployment Services (WDS) starting with the next Windows Server release after that version ships. WDS, used to remotely install Windows on many machines via PXE boot, has already been partially scaled back, with boot.wim support removed in 2021 and hands-free deployment disabled by default as of April 2026 updates following a CVE-related hardening fix. WDS remains fully supported on Windows Server 2025 and earlier per their servicing lifecycles. Microsoft Configuration Manager is unaffected, but admins using WDS-backed PXE or WDS-dependent multicast within Configuration Manager should begin migrating away from those dependencies. Microsoft recommends planning migration to Configuration Manager for OS deployment going forward. ## Full article daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: ## Questions this post answers ### Is Windows Deployment Services (WDS) being deprecated? Yes, Microsoft will deprecate the Windows Deployment Services server role starting with the next Windows Server release after Windows Server 2025. This includes the inbox WDS role, its management tools and interfaces, and WDS-provided PXE boot functionality. Development will stop, and WDS will eventually be removed, though it remains supported on Windows Server 2025 and earlier per their servicing lifecycles. _Teams planning Windows Server upgrades can track deprecation timelines like this one on daily.dev._ ### What happened to WDS hands-free deployment in 2026? Microsoft disabled WDS hands-free deployment by default starting with the April 2026 Windows updates, as part of hardening guidance related to CVE-2026-0386. This followed the earlier 2021 removal of boot.wim support, and both changes preceded the broader deprecation announcement for the entire WDS role in the next Windows Server release. _Admins tracking WDS security hardening changes can follow this kind of update on daily.dev._ ### What should I use instead of WDS for deploying Windows images? Microsoft recommends migrating to Microsoft Configuration Manager for operating system deployment, which offers a more flexible experience than WDS. Configuration Manager itself is not affected by the WDS deprecation, but environments still relying on WDS-backed PXE boot or WDS-dependent multicast within Configuration Manager should begin migrating away from those specific dependencies. _Ops teams weighing deployment tooling migrations can find guidance like this on daily.dev._ ## Similar posts on daily.dev - [Microsoft euthanizes ancient deployment toolkit](https://daily.dev/posts/microsoft-euthanizes-ancient-deployment-toolkit-0ssu27x90) · The Register · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [Microsoft confirms Windows Server Update Services sync delays](https://daily.dev/posts/microsoft-confirms-windows-server-update-services-sync-delays-8jxirtxpy) · BleepingComputer · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [Microsoft gives Windows admins a legacy migration headache with WINS sunset](https://daily.dev/posts/microsoft-gives-windows-admins-a-legacy-migration-headache-with-wins-sunset-aqqzbcfqe) · CSO Online · 1 upvotes · 0 comments - [Microsoft deleted a Windows command that decades of scripts still depend on, and it's gone for good](https://daily.dev/posts/microsoft-deleted-a-windows-command-that-decades-of-scripts-still-depend-on-and-it-s-gone-for-good-fhexfln4v) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [Microsoft Configuration Manager switching to yearly releases](https://daily.dev/posts/microsoft-configuration-manager-switching-to-yearly-releases-5xf6etblr) · The Register · 0 upvotes · 0 comments --- Tags: [#microsoft](https://daily.dev/tags/microsoft) [View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/microsoft-plans-to-deprecate-windows-deployment-services-ztdlumso1) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/dailydotdev","https://github.com/dailydotdev","https://www.linkedin.com/company/daily-dev-ltd"]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://daily.dev/#website","url":"https://daily.dev","name":"daily.dev","publisher":{"@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization"},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https://daily.dev/search?q={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"TechArticle","headline":"Microsoft plans to deprecate Windows Deployment Services","url":"https://daily.dev/posts/microsoft-plans-to-deprecate-windows-deployment-services-ztdlumso1","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/posts/microsoft-plans-to-deprecate-windows-deployment-services-ztdlumso1"},"datePublished":"2026-09-25T12:49:11.183Z","dateModified":"2026-09-25T12:49:34.826Z","description":"Microsoft announced it will deprecate Windows Deployment Services (WDS) starting with the next Windows Server release after that version ships. WDS, used to...","image":"https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/posts/5782acf21d6d823ac05a36c90787cac2?_a=AQAEuop","thumbnailUrl":"https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/posts/5782acf21d6d823ac05a36c90787cac2?_a=AQAEuop","isAccessibleForFree":true,"articleSection":"BleepingComputer","inLanguage":"en","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180}},"author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"BleepingComputer","logo":"https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/s--as8nJ3qy--/f_auto,q_auto/v1774959951/logos/bleepingcomputer?_a=BAMAMiWQ0","url":"https://daily.dev/sources/bleepingcomputer"},"commentCount":0,"discussionUrl":"https://daily.dev/posts/microsoft-plans-to-deprecate-windows-deployment-services-ztdlumso1","interactionStatistic":[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":0},{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":{"@type":"CommentAction"},"userInteractionCount":0}],"keywords":"microsoft","timeRequired":"PT2M"} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://daily.dev"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"BleepingComputer","item":"https://daily.dev/sources/bleepingcomputer"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Microsoft plans to deprecate Windows Deployment Services"}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/posts/microsoft-plans-to-deprecate-windows-deployment-services-ztdlumso1#faq","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Is Windows Deployment Services (WDS) being deprecated?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, Microsoft will deprecate the Windows Deployment Services server role starting with the next Windows Server release after Windows Server 2025. This includes the inbox WDS role, its management tools and interfaces, and WDS-provided PXE boot functionality. Development will stop, and WDS will eventually be removed, though it remains supported on Windows Server 2025 and earlier per their servicing lifecycles. Teams planning Windows Server upgrades can track deprecation timelines like this one on daily.dev."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What happened to WDS hands-free deployment in 2026?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Microsoft disabled WDS hands-free deployment by default starting with the April 2026 Windows updates, as part of hardening guidance related to CVE-2026-0386. This followed the earlier 2021 removal of boot.wim support, and both changes preceded the broader deprecation announcement for the entire WDS role in the next Windows Server release. Admins tracking WDS security hardening changes can follow this kind of update on daily.dev."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What should I use instead of WDS for deploying Windows images?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Microsoft recommends migrating to Microsoft Configuration Manager for operating system deployment, which offers a more flexible experience than WDS. Configuration Manager itself is not affected by the WDS deprecation, but environments still relying on WDS-backed PXE boot or WDS-dependent multicast within Configuration Manager should begin migrating away from those specific dependencies. Ops teams weighing deployment tooling migrations can find guidance like this on daily.dev."}}]} ```